Frances Stephens (golfer)

Not to be confused with Bunt Stephens.

Frances "Bunty"^[1] Stephens (married name Frances Stephens Smith or Frances Smith Stephens; 26 July 1924^[2] – 23 July 1978^{[3][dead link][non-primary source needed][4][dead link]}) was an English amateur golfer.

Early life

In 1924, Stephens was born in Lancashire. Her father Fred was club professional at Bootie Golf Club.^[1] She faced discrimination from golf administrators because of his working class occupation.^[5]

Golf career

During the 1940s and 1950s, she was, according to The Bolton News, "Britain's No. 1 woman golfer."^[6] In 1948, she won the English Women's Amateur Championship. She was also victorious in 1954 and 1955. In 1959, she finished runner-up. She also won the British Ladies Amateur in 1949 and 1954 and earned runner-up honors in 1951 and 1952. Her home club was Royal Birkdale.^[7]

She played in all six Curtis Cups from 1950 to 1960, and was non-playing captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team in 1962 and 1972.^[8] Her final-hole victories over Polly Riley in the 1956 and 1958 tournaments secured a win and a draw, respectively, for the British and Irish team, the first time it retained the cup.^[1] According to Sports Illustrated, in the United States she was "hardly known."^[1] She did manage to tie for 6th place at the 1949 U.S. Women's Open though. She was also a non-playing captain of the British team in the Vagliano Trophy.^[4]

Legendary golf writer Herbert Warren Wind referred to her a "slight, quiet, entirely undramatic girl" and an outstanding clutch player.^[1] English golfer Enid Wilson wrote she had "a very frail physique but ... the temperament of a tigress."^[9] Her swing had a pronounced hiatus at the top,^[1][10] which Wind called "most unimpressive,"^[1] although Henry Cotton said she had "one of the prettiest swings in the game."^[11]

In the 1960s, Stephens curtailed her playing career to raise her daughter but subsequently was active in golf administration and developing junior golf.^[4]

Personal life

In 1955, she married Roy Smith, a Scottish Airlines pilot. In 1957, he died in a plane crash in Libya.^[1][4][12] They had one daughter.^[1]

In 1978, she died from cancer.^[4]

Amateur wins

• 1948 English Women's Amateur Championship
• 1949 British Ladies Amateur
• 1954 British Ladies Amateur, English Women's Amateur Championship
• 1955 English Women's Amateur Championship

Awards and honours

She was made OBE for "services to Ladies Golf" at the 1977 New Year Honours.^[13]

Team appearances

• Curtis Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1950, 1952 (winners), 1954, 1956 (winners), 1958 (tied), 1960, 1962 (non-playing captain), 1972 (non-playing captain)
• Vagliano Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1947 (winners), 1948 (winners), 1949 (winners), 1953 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1959 (winners), 1971 (non-playing captain, winners)
• Commonwealth Trophy (representing Great Britain): 1959 (winners), 1963 (winners)